This invention relates to an automatically detachable ski binding having spaced apart and interconnected toe and heel portions mounted on a ski for holding a ski boot in place thereon. More particularly, the ski binding has a mechanical ski boot holding and releasing system and an electronic controller for effecting the release.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,453 discloses an electronically controlled release of the clamping force acting on a ski boot which significantly decreases the risk of injury compared to a purely mechanical ski binding release system. This binding releases mechanically as in conventional bindings even if the electronics were to fail once. And, the prior art binding is comparatively simple in its construction despite its dual function as a mechanical and electrical binding, the system including only one compression spring (so-called Z spring) and only one probe for determining the release.
However, the provision of only one such spring and one such probe causes problems attendant to horizontal load and vertical load torques applied to the binding. Extensive medical research (diameter measurement of the upper end of the shin bone has shown that horizontal torque loads (rotary fall) leads significantly sooner to injuries than vertical torque loads (frontal fall). Therefore, in the DIN 7881 it was established that for safety bindings MV/MH=4/1, where MV denotes the vertical triggering or release torque, and MH denotes the horizontal triggering or release torque.